Protest? Not in my name...the football match is the main event

[Pete3206]

The last three posts sum up my feelings entirely.  "Is the football match still the main event tomorrow?" is the most pertinent thing I've heard.

I vote for a thread title change - 'The football match IS the main event tomorrow'

[caster troy]

The time to protest will be in the summer if there's no sign of Randy releasing funds for new players. That is the real problem. Fans who feel so strongly can hold back renewing their season tickets until there's signs of some transfers in. Until then, we all need to back the manager to get the best out of the players we are stuck with for the remainder of the season. Any new manager at this stage will still have the same problems as McLeish.

Back McLeish, back the team, up the Villa.

Nice sentiment but a good manager would get better results with the squad we already have. Look at the teams above us in the league who have far less resources. What evidence is there that we would do any better even if McLeish did make a few signings? For me we'd be better off getting a decent manager and spending £10 million than giving McLeish £20 million.

I back the team and sing as much as anyone when I'm in the ground, but if the club thinks that our performances at Villa Park this season are acceptable and they don't make a change then I fear quite a few like myself will find it hard to part with £500 in June.

[Chris Smith]

The time to protest will be in the summer if there's no sign of Randy releasing funds for new players. That is the real problem. Fans who feel so strongly can hold back renewing their season tickets until there's signs of some transfers in. Until then, we all need to back the manager to get the best out of the players we are stuck with for the remainder of the season. Any new manager at this stage will still have the same problems as McLeish.

Back McLeish, back the team, up the Villa.

Nice sentiment but a good manager would get better results with the squad we already have. Look at the teams above us in the league who have far less resources. What evidence is there that we would do any better even if McLeish did make a few signings? For me we'd be better off getting a decent manager and spending £10 million than giving McLeish £20 million.

I back the team and sing as much as anyone when I'm in the ground, but if the club thinks that our performances at Villa Park this season are acceptable and they don't make a change then I fear quite a few like myself will find it hard to part with £500 in June.

Last season we finished ninth and then git rid of six of that team (Freidel, Walker, Young, Reo Coker, Downing and Young) and other than the GK have not replaced them with players of an equal quality, if at all. I don't see the logic in saying we should be doing much better.

[PeterWithesShin]

You can't really say we got rid of Walker as he was never ours to get rid of.

[old man villa fan]

The time to protest will be in the summer if there's no sign of Randy releasing funds for new players. That is the real problem. Fans who feel so strongly can hold back renewing their season tickets until there's signs of some transfers in. Until then, we all need to back the manager to get the best out of the players we are stuck with for the remainder of the season. Any new manager at this stage will still have the same problems as McLeish.

Back McLeish, back the team, up the Villa.

Nice sentiment but a good manager would get better results with the squad we already have. Look at the teams above us in the league who have far less resources. What evidence is there that we would do any better even if McLeish did make a few signings? For me we'd be better off getting a decent manager and spending £10 million than giving McLeish £20 million.

I back the team and sing as much as anyone when I'm in the ground, but if the club thinks that our performances at Villa Park this season are acceptable and they don't make a change then I fear quite a few like myself will find it hard to part with £500 in June.

Last season we finished ninth and then git rid of six of that team (Freidel, Walker, Young, Reo Coker, Downing and Young) and other than the GK have not replaced them with players of an equal quality, if at all. I don't see the logic in saying we should be doing much better.

So are you saying that the manager wasted the money given to him on Hutton and N'Zogbia.

On paper, the team last year should have done better than it did but suffered with injuries and the players' backlash to the MON years.

[caster troy]

We also didn't have Darren Bent till January last season. I don't think the squads are that different to be honest, sure we lost Young who was brilliant but Given/Friedal are similar, Downing/N'Zogbia are similar, we've seen the likes of Bannan, Gardner and Clark continue their development and improve over where they were a season a go, we've had Bent from day 1. We've had far less injuries than Houllier had to contend with and he had no pre-season to work with the players.

I really wish McLeish hadn't come from Blues, because I think that causes a lot of those who are vocal about not liking him to be automatically discredited when actually there is a lot of evidence that suggests we are right not to want him as our manager. We should be comfortably top half this season with the players we have, instead we are flirting with a relegation battle and getting battered at home to the likes of Swansea, barely scraping points at home and quite often struggling to register more than a couple of shots on target per game, it's miserable really.

[Witton Warrior]

The time to protest will be in the summer if there's no sign of Randy releasing funds for new players. That is the real problem. Fans who feel so strongly can hold back renewing their season tickets until there's signs of some transfers in. Until then, we all need to back the manager to get the best out of the players we are stuck with for the remainder of the season. Any new manager at this stage will still have the same problems as McLeish.

Back McLeish, back the team, up the Villa.

Mate well said thats the best post I have read on here for months......take a bow 

This

[LeeB]

We also didn't have Darren Bent till January last season. I don't think the squads are that different to be honest, sure we lost Young who was brilliant but Given/Friedal are similar, Downing/N'Zogbia are similar, we've seen the likes of Bannan, Gardner and Clark continue their development and improve over where they were a season a go, we've had Bent from day 1. We've had far less injuries than Houllier had to contend with and he had no pre-season to work with the players.

I really wish McLeish hadn't come from Blues, because I think that causes a lot of those who are vocal about not liking him to be automatically discredited when actually there is a lot of evidence that suggests we are right not to want him as our manager. We should be comfortably top half this season with the players we have, instead we are flirting with a relegation battle and getting battered at home to the likes of Swansea, barely scraping points at home and quite often struggling to register more than a couple of shots on target per game, it's miserable really.

So you at least give him credit that he's managed to replace two of our key players, lost before he walked through the door, with two players of similar ability, with still a small surplus in fees despite losing one for free?

And what about Downing? And Walker? Luke Young wanted to go back to London. Not the easiest start for a new gaffer. Tell me which team above us as it stands has had that to contend with.

[Shoody]

Newcastle the most similar I guess:

A lot of trouble makers in the dressing room, (Barton, Enrique rows with owners)
Best players wanting (and forcing) moves to other clubs, (Carroll, Barton, Enrique, Nolan - their captain)
A very unhappy fanbase,
An unpopular Managerial Appointment, (especially considering Hughton was so popular)
Spend less money than came in from transfers. (£~45m in sales)
Players wanting out but staying (Collocini was strongly rumoured to want to move to Spain)

But Pardew has done well considering. I think a lot comes down to Graham Carrs fantastic scouting, his finds and recommendations have been superb (Ba, Cabaye, Tiote, Santon etc).

[Chris Smith]

We also didn't have Darren Bent till January last season. I don't think the squads are that different to be honest, sure we lost Young who was brilliant but Given/Friedal are similar, Downing/N'Zogbia are similar, we've seen the likes of Bannan, Gardner and Clark continue their development and improve over where they were a season a go, we've had Bent from day 1. We've had far less injuries than Houllier had to contend with and he had no pre-season to work with the players.

I really wish McLeish hadn't come from Blues, because I think that causes a lot of those who are vocal about not liking him to be automatically discredited when actually there is a lot of evidence that suggests we are right not to want him as our manager. We should be comfortably top half this season with the players we have, instead we are flirting with a relegation battle and getting battered at home to the likes of Swansea, barely scraping points at home and quite often struggling to register more than a couple of shots on target per game, it's miserable really.

Sorry, but that's crap. We lost half a team and only partly replaced them. We are left with an unbalanced squad which we've had to try and fashion a side from. Under those circumstances mid table is the best any rational observer could expect. At the same time our competitors were all strengthening.

That said, we've improved over recent weeks and months. I put that down to the intelligent way the youngsters have been blooded, the manager being able to do something his predecessor failed to do and get Ireland playing for us and the signing of Keane.

I've rarely known any manager be given so little time by the fickle parts of our support and while they keep clang it's nothing to do with him managing the Noses I think many if them are in denial.

[pauliewalnuts]

That said, we've improved over recent weeks and months. I put that down to the intelligent way the youngsters have been blooded, the manager being able to do something his predecessor failed to do and get Ireland playing for us and the signing of Keane.

I've rarely known any manager be given so little time by the fickle parts of our support

First bit - you're right, we have improved in areas of late (over months is stretching it, mind), but there is precious little sign on points on the board.

Second bit - really? Short memory. Look at threads from this time last year about Houllier. I don't remember a handful of gobby twats going on about marches, no, but then again, we hadn't had the extra season of shite to rile us then, either.

Your point about him being an ex Blues manager - maybe we should start a thread purely for those of us who don't give a shit about that full stop, so we don't have to either hear the handful of morons banging on about it against him or the tiresome, catch all  "you're only saying that because he managed them" get out of jail free card either, because frankly, you're both (both camps) as bad as each other.

[brian green]

The thing I find puzzling is how few see the potential of taking a manager from Small Heath.

It really is a win win situation if you stand far enough back and half close your eyes.

We play shit, he gets the blame.   Nothing to do with our players being a pretty average bunch as Premiership squads go.  McLeish gets the bullet and letsallhaveadisco.

He gets us playing well and he is a priceless jewel we have plucked from Small Heath.

The core of the endlessly raging argument Alex McLeish Tracey Andrews or Mother Theresa? is that a lot of our players are not very good.

Cut it north south east or west, that is the root of everything.   A lot of our players are not very good.

And in case anybody thinks that is defeatism or negativism my son Damon and I stood in my garden at dinner time today and agreed that there had been infinitely worse Villa teams and probably would be in the future.

[villan from luton]

I started supporting my club in the old third division, loved the club, not the manager or owner.

Had many trials and tribulations, but still love my club, albeit it doesnt affect my life like when I was younger. I didnt want Mcleish, far from it. However, lets be honest, why was he appointed? Maybe because other managers would not put up with the restraints that are going on at the moment. I think he has conducted himself in a good way, he fecked up at Spurs big time , also Liverpool at home, but think he realises now we dont mind losing, but we have to try and win. N'Zogbia us a disgrace, he was awful last week but for one run which created a goal. He needs to put effort in. Likewise Ireland, who was awful when trying to defend that cross for the first goal. Is that all Ecks fault

[PeterWithesShin]

I think you're thinking of Warley Wonder or whatever he calls himself now, not Witton Warrior?

[Dave Clark Five]

I started supporting my club in the old third division, loved the club, not the manager or owner.

Had many trials and tribulations, but still love my club, albeit it doesnt affect my life like when I was younger. I didnt want Mcleish, far from it. However, lets be honest, why was he appointed? Maybe because other managers would not put up with the restraints that are going on at the moment. I think he has conducted himself in a good way, he fecked up at Spurs big time , also Liverpool at home, but think he realises now we dont mind losing, but we have to try and win. N'Zogbia us a disgrace, he was awful last week but for one run which created a goal. He needs to put effort in. Likewise Ireland, who was awful when trying to defend that cross for the first goal. Is that all Ecks fault

You have a good pedigree, coming from the great 3rd Division days.
Interesting that you noticed how poor N'Zogbia was at Newcastle. He gave most balls away. Some people only see what they want to see.